How to Slow Cook a Duck Breast

Domestic ducks are fed corn and soybeans

In 1873, a Yankee Clipper ship brought less than a dozen White Pekin ducks to the United States. This was the beginning of America's domestic duck industry, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Most duck farms are located in Indiana and Wisconsin. You can buy the whole duck or just the legs or breast. A simple way to cook a duck breast is to use a slow cooker, which yields a succulent, tasty meal.

Things You'll Need

• 2 whole duck breasts
• 2 small oranges
• 1 medium apple
• 1 medium onion (either red or white)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 can (6 oz.) orange juice concentrate
• Slow cooker (3 1/2 to 6 qt cooker or crock pot)

Instructions

1. Remove the peel from the oranges and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

2. Cut the apple into 1/2 inch pieces, leaving the skin on.

3. Cut the onion into eight pieces.

4. Sprinkle the duck with the 1/2 tsp. of salt, making sure to cover the duck breasts evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp. of pepper evenly over the duck breasts.

5. Place the duck in the cooker and cover with the oranges. Add the apples. Place the onions over the apples in another layer. Pour orange juice concentrate over all the ingredients.

6. Cover the slow cooker and heat on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

Tips & Warnings

• This recipe is for slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker. If your slow cooker has only a heated base, follow the manufacturer's directions for layering the ingredients and choosing a cooking temperature.

• The USDA states that a duck breast is fully cooked when it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Check the temperature at the thickest part of the breast.

References

• United States Department Of Agriculture: Food Safety and Inspection Service: Duck and Goose From Farm to Table
• Betty Crocker: Slow Cooker Wild Duck Breast A L'Orange
• Dictionary.com: Slow cooker